Indore, Feb 7: Controversy has surrounded the proposed foundation laying ceremony of Dahod-Indore-Godhra rail line with the BJP MP from Indore and former union minister, Sumitra Mahajan claiming that foundation of this ambitious rail project measuring a distance of 325 kms had been laid 15 years ago.

In a statement issued here, Mahajan said that this rail project had been included in the rail budget by the then union railway minister, Madhavrao Scindia. Thereafter, the then union railway minister Nitish Kumar had inaugurated Indore-Maxi section of this rail line on January 31, 2003 and accordingly flagged off a passenger train on this route. Taking this into consideration, re-foundation laying ceremony of this rail line by the Prime Minister is wrong and against the dignity of the Prime Minister's chair.

Mahajan has written a letter to this effect to the Prime Minister apprising him of the position of this rail line. She said this rail project which was basically aimed at to connect Indore with Dahod, had been reconceived as Maxi-Indore-Dahod-Godhra rail line and approval to this effect had also been secured from the Planning Commission during late Scindia's tenure as the union railway minister.

A sum of Rs 360 crore was estimated to be spent on this rail project covering a distance of 325 kms. Under the first phase of the project, work for laying rail line between Maxi and Dewas was started with the foundation laying ceremony at Maxi. After laying of the rail line between Dewas and Maxi in the subsequent years, the then union railway minister Nitish Kumar had inaugurate this rail route on January 31, 2003 by flagging off a passenger train.

The BJP MP said from the very beginning, she evinced deep interest in this project and allot fund for the same. However, with the passage of time, cost of this project increased. With increased budgetary demand, this project was once again sent before the Planning Commission for approval. The Planning Commission finally approved the project in January 20078.

Surprisingly, after approval from the Planning Commission and budgetary allocation of Rs 10 crore made for this project in the previous budget, in the rail budget of 2007-08, a sum of only Rs 6 crore was sanctioned for this project and it was publicized as if Indore-Dahod rail project had been sanctioned for the first time in 2007-08, which is not correct. Mahajan said in the whole issue, Prime Minister has been kept in dark and Indore-Dahod rail project has been project as completely a new project.